Pipe wrench with nut fulcrumed pivoted outer jaw



P 1953 w. J. JOHNSON ETAL 2,650,512

PIPE WRENCH WITH NUT FULCRUMED PIVOTED OUTER JAW Original Filed July 14, 1950 2b 20 J1! i mih 24 V I 1 \g 12 21 1a 26 1 l Hui INVENTORJI Walter J. Jb/mson By ('arl G. Eriell Patented Sept. 1, 1953 r m WRENCH WITH NUT FULCRUMED rivorsn OUTER JAW Walter J. Johnson, Buffalo, and Carl G. Ertell,

Eggertsville, N. Y., assignors to J. H. Williams. & 00., Buffalo, N. Y., a corporation of New ork Original application July 14', 1950, Serial No.

173,904. Divided and this application November 21 1951, Serial No. 257,464

6 Claims. 1

The invention disclosed herein is a division of the invention disclosed in our co-pending applt cation, Serial No. 173,904, filed July 14, 1950.

The invention relates to pipe wrenches of the type having a floating or movable hook jaw and aims to provide certain improvements therein.

In the prior art devices of the class to which the present invention is directed, certain inherent shortcomings have been recognized, for example, the springs which fioatingly support the hook jaw broke because of faulty design, or when the wrench was used as a hammer; it was often difficult to replace broken springs; and the prior construction frequently failed to provide a full floating action for the hook jaw.

Accordingly, the present invention has for its object the elimination of the defects in prior wrench constructions, as above pointed out.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel spring suspension for the floating jaw.

A still further object is to provide a wrench of the type set forth wherein the springs will be under compression in all positions of the floating Jaw.

A still further object is to provide a Spring in the mounting which forms a compressible and dynamic pivot point for the jaw shank, thus elastically suspending the jaw through its full angular movement, except at the two extremes of such movement.

The accomplishment of the foregoing and other objects of our invention not specifically enumerated will become apparent to persons skilled in the art from the detailed description which follows, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a side elevational view of a wrench, with part of the handle broken away and shown in section, and with parts of the frame broken away and shown in section to better illustrate the novel features of the invention.

Fig. 2 shows a sectional view taken along the plane of the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4 show side elevations of the springs employed in providing the floating jaw suspension of the wrench.

Referring to the drawings, in the various figures of which corresponding parts are designated by the same reference characters, the pipe wrench comprises a handle H] having a fixed jaw H and an integral frame or housing l2 through which extends a threaded shank l3 of a movable jaw 14, which is adjustable relatively to the jaw I l by a nut l5 engaging th threads on the shank, said nut being disposed and retained between the bottom of the frame [2 and a pair of bosses l5 formed integrally with the handle, the bottom gf the frame l2 serving, as a fulcrum for the nut I5 during use of the wrench. The jaws H and M may be provided with replaceable jaw inserts l1 and I8, respectively, herein shown as connected to the jaws by dovetail joints. The recited elements in their cooperative relationship set forth are conventional in pipe wrenches and no claim is here made to said general combination.

According to the present invention the movable jaw I4 is resiliently suspended in the frame l2 by two springs 2| and 20 which are removably mounted in the frame at the front and rear thereof, respectively. The spring 20 is formed of a strip of flat, resilient metal which is bowed from end to end and has its ends 22 bent rearwardly. The spring is mounted in the frame with the ends 22 seated in recesses 24 in the rear of the frame, and with the body of the spring disposed in a channel 24 formed in the rear wall of the frame between the recesses 23 to allow for flexing of the spring. The spring 2|, which is also formed of a flat strip of resilient metal, is of flattened Z shape and is mounted within a channel 25 in the front wall of the frame by having one end of the spring, which is formed with a forwardly bent portion 26, seating in a recess or hole 21 extending from the channel 25 into the rear of the fixed jaw H, The intermediate arm 28 of the 2 spring 21 has its end portions 29 deflected to lie in substantially parallel planes and to also lie in abutting relation to the adjacent end portions of arms 36 and 31 to permit of ready flexing of the spring without breaking. The springs 20 and 2| are mounted within the frame so as to be under compression in all jaw shank positions and the bowed spring 20 forms a compressible and dynamic rocking or pivot point for the movable jaw shank, which is thereby resiliently suspended through its full angular movement in the course of the use of the wrench, excent at its two extreme positions of angular movement where the jaw shank acting through the spring bears against either the top or bottom of the rear wall of the frame. The 2 spring 2|, because of its shape and disposition in the frame at all times has at least one of its arms subjected to tensioned stress.

Pipe wrenches made in accordance with the foregoing disclosure fully satisfy the various objects of the invention recited in the opening statement of this specification, and while we have shown and described a preferred embodiment of our invention it is to be understood that 3 changes in the details of construction set forth may be made within the range of mechanical and engineering skill without departing from the spirit of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What-we claim is: v r 1. In a pipe wrench comprising a handle provided with a fixed jaw and a frame, a movable jaw having a shank extending through said frame and spring means Within the frame resiliently suspending the shank of the movable jaw, characterized in that the spring means consist of two separate springs removably mounted in the frame, one at the front and the other at the rear of the frame, one of said springs being bowed inwardly of the frame and at its mid-point 7 3. A pipe wrench accordin to claim 1 wherein the bowed spring extends from end to end 1ongitudinally of the frame and has its ends bent rearwardly and seated in recesses in the frame.

4. A pipe Wrench accordingto, claim 1 wherein the rear spring is bowed inwardly of the frame to provide the rocking or pivot point for the movable jaw shank.

5. A pipe wrenchaccording to claim 4 wherein the spring is bowed from end to end longitudinally of the frame and has its ends frictionally anchored on the frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,125,946 Bovee Jan. 26,1915 Thewes Sept. 10, 1929 

